ALGONA—As the state of Iowa continues to respond to health concerns about the coronavirus, or COVID-19, Kossuth Regional Health Center has responded by opening a respiratory care area and limited visitor and patient traffic inside the health care facility.

ALGONA—State and local economic development officials are providing services to Kossuth County small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and that includes the Kossuth/Palo Alto County Economic Development Corporation (K/PACEDC) and the Algona Area Chamber of Commerce.

ALGONA — The Algona Public Library will have a new location during the renovation of the current facility later this year.

ALGONA — Within two hours, volunteers moved 90 percent of Algona Emergency Medical Services (EMS), from its original building to the automotive shop at the Algona Community High School.  On Wednesday, March 18, KRHC officials notified members of EMS that the hospital would like to use their building for the COVID-19 situation. The EMS building, located on the north side of KRHC is owned by the City of Algona.

The need for quality news reporting and effective marketing is never greater than in times of crisis. I want you to know Algona Publishing Company embraces this critical and necessary role to  serve our coverage area, and we encourage everyone to do his or her part in helping our communities navigate these uncharted waters.

ALGONA — With concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus in Kossuth County, the courthouse and its employees have changed the way they will conduct county business during the pandemic.
 
Treasurer’s Office

ALGONA — The Kossuth County treasurer’s office can accept property tax payments through April 16 with no penalty according to a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds on March 19, 2020
“The property taxes are still delinquent on April 1, but no penalty will be assessed until April 17,” said Nick Rahm, Kossuth County treasurer.
“That is what is going on right now. Of course it is subject to change.”

ALGONA — Many read or hear the worst of the coronavirus, but many have also talked about the outpouring of community members who have risen to the occasion to help their neighbors.
The Algona Area Chamber of Commerce is one of those entities that have reached out to community members for support. In this case, they are taking names for those who are interested in childcare, day care and babysitting services.

ALGONA — A three-stall extension at the Algona Municipal Airport moves the city of Algona closer to completion of a 10-hangar project that would house 10 airplanes.
Jim Kohlhaas, Algona Municipal Airport manager, said the expansion is good for the airport because more aircraft can fly here.
“It will keep the airport active and busy,” he said.
He said the extension also adds more room and larger doors for the planes.

ALGONA — Collaboration with Electric Power Research Center (EPRC) will determine if Algona Municipal Utilities (AMU) can integrate battery technology into its current system software for distributed solar or wind energy projects.

ALGONA — Last year, the Algona Community School District (ACSD) operated with a surplus of $61,000. Superintendent Joe Carter said that surplus could be higher this year.
“We reduced expenditures about $430,000 during the 2018-19 school year. That is a huge adjustment that was made,” Carter said. “The second thing we did was the early retirement program passed this fall.”

ARMSTRONG—North Union Community School District is offering free meals for children ages 1-19 during the mandated school closure.
Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, according to a press release from the school district. It said there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

It has been a heck of a few weeks hasn’t it? All at once, the world changed. Some things that were just unimaginable 14 days ago are now standard operating procedure (SOP). I could never imagine a scenario where in-person worship would be suspended for the foreseeable future.

ALGONA—Women donning hats and gloves, a dessert from the 1920s, a Readers’ Theater depicting women who fought for the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote, and plans for Equal Pay Day were all part of AAUW-Algona Branch’s March meeting at the UCC Church Fellowship Hall on Thursday, March 12.
The branch honored women who worked hard for the right to vote and are still working to make the lives of women and girls better.

SWEA CITY — The parade for the 125th anniversary of Swea City could be one of the larger ones the community has seen.
“Over the years there has been a steady decline of parade entries,” said Nina Harbaugh, one of the organizers of the event. “This one will be larger than normal years, partly because of classes for the all-school reunion are designing floats. We’re hoping to get closer to 100 for the anniversary.”
The Swea City 125-year celebration will be held June 26-28.